JAYA TRIPATHI
Jaya Tripathi stars as Helen Thomas in Shut Up Martha, running 3 performances in the Capital Fringe: Thur 7/13 at 6pm, Sat 7/15 at 10:55am, and Sun 7/16 at 7:45pm at the Squirt Theatre (1050 Thomas Jefferson NW in Georgetown). Tickets are $15 at www.shutupmartha.com
I first met Jaya in 2018 through auditions for a new play I wrote about feminism in the workplace, Relentlessly Pleasant. She had submitted for the uptight boss Alison but upon meeting her, I asked her to read instead for the thoughtful office manager, Beth, for which she was ultimately cast. She served as the heart of both the piece and the cast with her quick wit and ideas for her role.
Since then, I have come to rely on Jaya to bring a sensitive yet sensible quality to the stage. We appeared onstage in May 2019 with Recent Tragic Events and even read a play aloud on Zoom in early days of the pandemic, Hatpin Panic (fun fact: that was originally in the Capital Fringe! Probably where I got the idea to submit my play to that fest).
For my latest, Shut Up Martha, Jaya emerged early as the right person to play Helen Thomas, a reporter and trusted friend of Martha Mitchell's. While she in no way resembles Helen physically, she brings to bear a deep inquisitiveness and intelligence that the role requires.
I asked her a couple of questions about working on Shut Up Martha together... read on!
What did you know about Watergate before working on this piece?
I still remember learning about it in school, watching All The President's Men, which was honestly a pretty exhilarating experience. The movie is fantastic and our classroom discussions felt important, because we were talking about the standards to which we hold our elected officials. But I never learned about Martha Mitchell -- and yet Nixon himself said, "If it hadn't been for Martha, there would have been no Watergate." What a glaring omission from the story!
Which character do you most identify with or like in Shut Up Martha, and why?
Without question, I identify most with Helen Thomas! Her drive, her strong views on what's right. But I really like her because of the evolution of her connection with Martha, which goes to an unexpected place.
Since then, I have come to rely on Jaya to bring a sensitive yet sensible quality to the stage. We appeared onstage in May 2019 with Recent Tragic Events and even read a play aloud on Zoom in early days of the pandemic, Hatpin Panic (fun fact: that was originally in the Capital Fringe! Probably where I got the idea to submit my play to that fest).
For my latest, Shut Up Martha, Jaya emerged early as the right person to play Helen Thomas, a reporter and trusted friend of Martha Mitchell's. While she in no way resembles Helen physically, she brings to bear a deep inquisitiveness and intelligence that the role requires.
I asked her a couple of questions about working on Shut Up Martha together... read on!
What did you know about Watergate before working on this piece?
I still remember learning about it in school, watching All The President's Men, which was honestly a pretty exhilarating experience. The movie is fantastic and our classroom discussions felt important, because we were talking about the standards to which we hold our elected officials. But I never learned about Martha Mitchell -- and yet Nixon himself said, "If it hadn't been for Martha, there would have been no Watergate." What a glaring omission from the story!
Which character do you most identify with or like in Shut Up Martha, and why?
Without question, I identify most with Helen Thomas! Her drive, her strong views on what's right. But I really like her because of the evolution of her connection with Martha, which goes to an unexpected place.
